Ultraman Evolution
by Phantom 1
Summary: Since time began a being of light has protected the helpless, now it's Kinto's turn. But can the Ultraman of the future defeat the monsters of the past?
1. The Child Blessed by the Light

Ultraman Evolution

_ Since time began, a being of light has watched over the innocent and protected the helpless. This being had come in many forms, but always with the same intentions. Now a generation that has not seen heroism or sacrifice for some time will receive the blessing of the light. And one young man will receive what he always dreamed of._

_ The chance to be needed.

* * *

_

To describe it would be incomprehensible to the human eye, but there was one way to describe it: it was bright.

Two figures stood facing one another. They looked same, tall and slender wearing red with jewels on their chests. One had horns and a long cape draped upon his back. The other, while less important looking, supported a strange wrist device with a glowing circle.

"Listen well, Kinto," the caped giant said. "Since time began, our kind has stood watch over the planet called Earth."

"I've heard of the planet from Sensei," the other one said.

"Whenever danger threatened the innocent, we would dispatch one of our own to guard the populace. Now I'm afraid the time has come to dispatch one again, this time it shall be you."

"Me? But sir…"

"I know you feel like you're not ready, but remember these three things: one, you would not be able to exist on Earth alone, you would need to bond yourself to one of the inhabitance and find allies to help you. The second, the longer you remain on Earth in your true form, the more power you use up. You must finish your business quickly or you will fall."

"And the third?"

"Remember the pact we made, and remember that the most powerful force lies not without, but within. Now go, Kinto and assume the roll of guardian using our most sacred name… Ultraman!"

* * *

The Child Blessed by the Light

* * *

It is the future. The overpopulation of the Earth has caused an overabundance of homeless and vagabonds. People wandered the streets looking for whatever little work they could do. But sometimes they had to resort to desperate means to survive. Nobody was exempt from this reality.

Not even children.

"Come back here, you little brat," a black-uniformed police officer ran after a boy in a torn long-sleeve shirt, shorts, and sandals.

"No way, you old fart," the boy replied clutching the bag of groceries. "I'm not going to go hungry so you can stroke your ego!"

"Insolent little…"

On a building roof, two children, a boy with pale white skin and shaggy brown hair and eyes along with a girl with short auburn hair held a smoking pot over the ledge. "Hurry, Yumi, Kochan's coming!"

"I'm hurrying, Ron."

The boy and the police officer ran past their location. Yumi and Ron lifted the pot and tipped it over dumping its contents over the edge.

Their timing couldn't have been more perfect. The pot of near boiling sludge landed right onto the police officer.

"Bull's eye!" Ron cried.

"Now let's hope Nobuyuki can follow through," Yumi said.

The pot's falling contents had pinned the police officer to the ground. As he looked up, he saw the boy sticking his tongue out. "Gee, Kochan, you stink."

"It's Kochiro, you miserable little brat. I'll get you one of these days."

"Yeah, but it's not today." And with those words the kid ducked under a hole in the fence and ran off.

Kochiro cursed, "I need to call in some…" He felt something slam into his back and suddenly his field of vision was covered in white.

"Mama," he heard a voice called. "The stupid man made me drop the flour!"

Kochiro cursed again.

* * *

The boy ran down the street, celebrating his accomplishment. "I cleaned house this time, the gang and I will probably be able to eat into next week. Poor Kochan, he keeps falling for the same tricks, how did someone like him ever…"

"No good piece of junk!" The boy paused to hear a woman screaming obscenities at a small two-door car. With the conservation of materials, cars were literally half of what they used to be. And even then, only those with well-paying jobs could own one. And if what the boy suspected was true, the woman had a solar-cell car.

A really crappy one from the way she was kicking it. "Stupid piece of junk, that's the last time I buy a sol-car online."

"What's the trouble?" The boy asked.

"Beats me," the woman replied without turning around. "All I know is that it won't start up."

"I'll take a look at it," the boy replied.

"Oh, thanks, I'm late for work and…" As the woman turned around, she saw clearly who she was speaking to. "Hey, you're just a kid!"

The boy frowned but didn't say anything. It wouldn't be the first time someone underestimated him because of his age. The boy went past the woman and took a peek into the hood. "Sheesh, when was the last time you recharged its battery?"

"I haven't had any need to do it since I bought it."

"Well that's stupid," the boy said. "If you leave the cell battery uncharged for longer than five days, the car becomes nothing more than a piece of junk."

"You mean it's stuck like this."

"This is a hybrid model, right?"

"Yeah, that's right, 40 percent gas, 60 percent solar."

"Should be enough," the boy said. He switched a couple of wires. "Okay, I hooked up the car's motor to the auxiliary gas supply. It should give you enough power time to get to the nearest solar charging station. Let me just check the AI controls to make sure I didn't trigger any firewalls." The boy ducked into the driver's seat and checked the monitor on the dashboard. As he did, he saw a clothes bag strung across the backseat. He also noticed a strange symbol on the bag, a star with a comet tail. Shrugging it off, he laid his hand on the monitor. Immediately, he could feel every system in the car, every sprocket, every circuit, and every bolt. The monitor flashed red three times before turning green. "Okay, everything's set."

"Hey, you're pretty good," the woman said, unaware of what exactly Toshio did.

"Yeah, my friends say I'm a natural when it comes to electronic stuff." He picked up his grocery bag. "Well, see ya'."

"Yeah, thanks." But the boy was already taking off. "Strange kid." Something in her pocket beeped. She took out a strange hand-held monitor. "Fukui here…"

"Are you all right?" Came the voice on the other end.

"Yeah, just a little car trouble, I'm on my way to base now."

* * *

"You're late, Toshio," Ron said as the boy returned with the groceries.

"Well excuse me I just had to take care of a little mechanical thing."

Nobuyuki looked at Toshio concerned. "Nobody saw you… you know…" Only the four of them knew about Toshio's strange ability to read and understand machinery. That was why they worked so hard to stay out of Kocho's grasp, because they knew that he would lock them up and abuse Toshio's gift. "We thought Kochan got you."

"Hah, it'll take a lot more than that geezer to catch me."

Yumi ran to Toshio and threw her arms around him. "Welcome home, husband," she said.

Honda blushed, "Yumi, I thought I told you not to call me that."

"You told me not to call you that in public, but here it's just Nobuyuki and Ron," Yumi said slyly. "Besides you're my husband so why can't I call you that?" They were only 14, but Yumi insisted that they were married and that Nobuyuki and Ron were their children (though she assured them they didn't have to call her mommy or anything of the like). On an outer level, Toshio was embarrassed but on the inside, he really didn't mind it that much. After all, he never knew his biological family. Some whispers among the other Outcasts (orphan children) said that he was really from outer space. Toshio didn't pay them much mind.

Much.

Toshio passed out bread, apple, and water to each of them and they all dove in. It was the most food they had in a long time.

Suddenly they heard a rumble. The basement warehouse they were in had a lone skylight (that they tried hard not to walk under for fear of someone above seeing them) but this time they all went to it and looked up to see a gold-colored plane with thrusters on the undercarriage flying overhead.

"D.A.R.E.," Ron hissed.

* * *

D.A.R.E. stood for Disaster Answer and Recovery Effort. They were a global military group dedicated to respond to any extreme emergencies. Every major power had their own branch of D.A.R.E. but Japan's D.A.R.E. branch was the most effective and subsequently the strictest of all D.A.R.E. branches (both due to the experience of those heads up). They had all the latest technology, the latest equipment, and everyone was bending over backwards to join it. But to Outcasts like Toshio and his friends, they were a severe nuisance. D.A.R.E. had the technology to find and put away all the Outcasts but they didn't simply because children living on the street weren't considered a disaster. Of course that didn't stop local governments from petitioning D.A.R.E. Japan to come take care of their Outcast problem.

The headquarters of D.A.R.E. Japan was an entire island in the South Pacific. It was here that D.A.R.E. members trained, worked, even slept (temporarily) and ate there. The leader was named Taichi Nagaya, 50 years of age. At the moment, he was doing what he normally did in the evening, trying to figure out ways to boost their recruitment goals. Not that he really saw any reason to. D.A.R.E. usually served as honor guard or clean-up crew after a natural disaster. They haven't seen real action for some time now. Nagaya didn't know if that was a blessing or a curse.

"Excuse me, sir."

Nagaya looked at the young officer. One could tell right away that she was a rookie. She was wide-eyed, and all smiles. Taichi missed the days when he was like that.

"Yes, Otome, what is it?"

"I have something for you, sir, it's the latest disaster report."

"Leave it on my desk, I'll read it later."

"Oh yes, and the city council called again."

"What is that, the fifth time?"

"Sixth sir, they called twice while you were… um… in the bathroom."

"All right, tell Hanna to contact the Communication Minister to arrange a conference. Damn politicians."

"Excuse me, sir, but wasn't it politicians who gave you this job?" Otome asked with a snicker.

"They gave me this job, doesn't mean I wanted it. Now go on."

"Cha," she said saluting. As she left, a long-haired guy wearing glasses appeared. "Morning, Kouga-san."

"Otome-chan, I see you're looking good as always."

Otome blushed and giggled. Taichi knew, however, that Kouga was just saying that to be nice. Ai Otome was no fashion model, her stature was short and her shoulders wide. She wore her hair short around her head with a few shorter strands sticking out. Her brown eyes were hidden behind a pair of jet black square frames. She was one of the few female members who actually volunteered to wear the red skirt and knee-length boots that came with her uniform. Most females chose to wear the blue slacks that male members wore or the blue flight suit if they were trained as pilots.

"Kouga, D.A.R.E. is not a dating service," Taichi said. "Mingle on your own time."

"Yes, sir," Kouga said saluting. He knew real well that Taichi wasn't as mad as he was yelling. It was well known around D.A.R.E. (especially female members) that Arata Kouga was quite the flirt. Most of the time his attempts to come on to female members were nothing more than the occasional comment or the occasional shoulder touch, which reminded Taichi…

"Where is Fukui?" Taichi asked.

"Right here." Another female member, this one in a flight suit, walked in to the room. Unlike Otome, this one was clearly gorgeous. Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her bangs cut even. Her uniform hugged her body in the areas that would make most men's mouths water. Everything about her screamed perfection, including the salute she gave Nagaya. "Flight Lieutenant Fukui Ayako reporting in, Captain Nagaya. I apologize for being late, there was mechanical trouble."

"Aya, how many times do I have to tell you stop calling me that? You're going to give me an ego complex," Taichi said with a smile.

"Yeah, no need to be so formal on the old man, Aya-chan," Kouga said placing an arm around her.

Bad move.

An elbow jab sent Kouga flying into the doorway where two more guys, one with a buzz cut and the other bald were just walking in. "See, Koji, I told you Aya would be here."

"Kouga's on the ground again so she must be here," Koji agreed.

"Looks like everyone's here who's going to be here?"

"General, where's Lieutenant Yoshiaki?" Aya asked.

"Lieutenant Yoshiaki's still out on patrol," Nagaya said. "Since you will be doing reconnaissance, I was thinking you could inform him of our current status for me."

"It would be my honor, sir."

"So she treats Yoshi like a rock idol yet she treats me like crap," Kouga complained.

"Maybe because Yoshi doesn't try to hit on her every chance he gets," the bald guy said.

"Nobody asked you, Fumio," Kouga snapped.

"Enough," Taichi snapped. "All of you, attention!" Otome, Kouga, Aya, Koji, and Fumio all stood in a semi-circle around Nagaya. "All right, today we have normal flight maneuvers and testing of the sonic radar and laser field. Koji, Fumio, work with the test crew on perfecting the laser field. It's still overheating too soon for use. Aya, Kouga, you two are to take Wingers and join Yoshiaki in B and D-pattern maneuvers around greater Osaka."

"What about me, sir?" Otome asked.

"Get Hanna up here and give her a hand with the vocal relay pathways."

"Janitor work again?" Otome pouted. "But I wanted to go flying."

"After the way you messed up the simulator, you're lucky the Captain lets you anywhere near a computer," Kouga scolded.

"I didn't mean to do it," Otome said scrunching into a ball and drawing spirals on the ground.

Aya, after deliberately stepping on Kouga's foot, placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Tell you what, once I get back, I'll take you up in the S.T.A.R., okay?"

"Cha," Otome nodded her cheerful mood returned.

Captain Nagaya smiled. Despite her strict attention to protocol, Aya was a good comrade to the other members. "All right, you have all your orders. D.A.R.E., depart!"

"G.T.G.," everyone saluted. Aya and Kouga grabbed their all-purpose helmets from the hooks on the wall. They then went to the chutes that were located at the far corner of the room. Even as they were riding the chutes down, the Wingers, the single seated jets that were the trademark vehicles of D.A.R.E. were being situated under the chutes.

The two slid out perfectly into the cockpits of the Wingers.

"Winger 2 and Winger 3," Otome called over their communication links. "Report go, no-go for launch."

"Winger 2, Hikari, go," Aya said.

"Winger 3, Pierce, go," Kouga added.

"Understood, Wingers 2 and 3, move into launch position. Winger 3 launches first."

"Roger," Kouga said as his Winger taxied to the exit chute. "Hey Aya, try not to eat too much of my dust."

"Why, are you cleaning your apartment again?"

"Ouch," Kouga said. "Not even off the chute and already I'm taking a volley."

"Can the chatter, you two," Nagaya ordered.

"Why, are you afraid the Americans might be listening in?" Kouga asked as a half-joke.

"No, you two are giving me a headache."

"Winger 3, you are clear for launch," Otome announced.

"Let's fly!" Kouga slammed the throttle as the wall-mounted anti-magnets forced the Winger through the chute and into the air. Kouga enjoyed the freefall for a second before hitting firing up the thrusters. As he did, wings and tail fin unfolded from the fuselage of the plane.

"Winger 2, you are clear for launch," Miko announced.

Aya was about to hit the thruster when she stared at a monitor.

"_Yeah, my friends say I'm a natural when it comes to electronic stuff."_

_Weird, why am I thinking about that kid now?_

"Winger 2, do you read? I said you were clear for launch!"

Aya shook off the memory. "Roger!" She hit her thrusters and she too was in the sky.

* * *

"That's weird, Aya normally never zones out," Otome commented. "I wonder if she's feeling well."

"With Aya's record, she can afford to zone out from time to time," Taichi said taking out a cigarette.

"Captain!" Otome shouted making Nagaya drop the lighter he was also taking out. "You know perfectly well that you shouldn't be smoking at your age!"

"Otome, I lived through a Legion War, a massive global restructuring, and five premiers. I've reached a point in my life where dying from smoking is a luxury for me." He picked up his lighter and was about to light up again when Otome snatched the cigarette out of his hand and threw it in the garbage can. "Otome, you're borderline insubordination."

"When it comes to your health, sir, that's a line I'm willing to cross."

Taichi sighed. If Otome was half as firm in her flight and combat training as she was at looking out for his health, she could've probably been his superior instead of the other way around.

There was a beeping at Otome's consol. "Captain, Winger 2 and Winger 3 are about to join up with Yoshiaki-san's aircraft!"

Nagaya looked up, "Please, please, let this end without incident.' Behind him, he could hear Otome snicker to herself.

* * *

Kouga and Aya hadn't been flying far when another Winger descended from the clouds and started cruising in front of them. "Hey there, strangers," a voice greeted them.

"Lieutenant Yoshiaki, sir," Aya said saluting. "Lieutenants Aya and Kouga reporting in ready for maneuver run."

"Sheesh, do you always have to be such a goody two-shoes?" Kouga asked.

"Easy there, Kouga," Myoga Yoshiaki said. "Let's just get this under way. I suggest we go through patterns Delta, Bravo, and Foxtrot. We'll start with Delta pattern. Kouga, take point."

"Well you're the boss," Kouga said and hit the thrusters.

Yoshiaki activated a beam link to Aya so the two could converse without having Kouga listen in. "So, Aya, how's your Tae-Kwon-Do practice coming along?"

'It's the uppercut elbow strike, sir, I can't seem to make it as strong as yours.'

"When we get back, show it to me and I can give you some pointers."

"It would be an honor, sir," Aya said.

"Oh cut it out with that 'sir' stuff, we're the same rank. In fact, we've been joined at the hip since junior high school."

Aya blushed. If there was one person who could set even her on pins and needles, it was Yoshi. "Yes, Si… I mean Yoshi."

Yoshiaki chuckled. Poor Aya was always too stiff to learn when to be on guard and when to relax. He looked up at the sky, at the clouds.

The clouds!

"The clouds," Yoshiaki gasped.

* * *

At D.A.R.E. headquarters, Captain Nagaya heard Yoshiaki's mutter. _Could it be? _He turned and ran outside.

"Oh no, is he going outside to smoke now?" Otome wondered to the otherwise empty control center.

Captain Nagaya ran down the hallway and through a door to a balcony. He looked up. "The sky… the clouds aren't moving… and I hear nothing, not even the wind."

It wasn't a good sign.

Nagaya saw an intercom and hit it. "Otome, send an emergency recall order, have all Wingers return to base and raise the alert status to Defcon Three!"

"Defcon Three? Sir, is something…"

"Don't ask questions, Otome, just do it!"

"Captain!" Otome's frantic cry confirmed Nagaya's worse fears. They were already too late.

* * *

"Winger 1 to Wingers 2 and 3," Yoshiaki called. "Maneuver practice cancelled, fall in behind me, we're returning to base."

"Lieutenant, is something wrong?"

"The clouds aren't moving," Yoshi said.

"And just what the hell is…" Kouga's question was interrupted as the ground started shaking. "What the hell, an earthquake?"

"I hope it is."

* * *

Toshio and his friends felt the shaking. "I'm scared," Yumi cried and literally threw herself into Toshio's arms. Unfortunately, the momentum made them both take a tumble.

"Where's the shaking coming from?" Nobuyuki asked.

"Doesn't matter," Toshio said as he and Yumi got up. "Let's get out of here before the entire place caves in on us." Everyone walked up the steps and through the metal doors to street level. When they did, they saw that they weren't the only ones who felt it. Everyone was coming outside wondering what was going on. The ground near a crossroad burst open and a large metal spike appeared. That was followed by a barrel-shaped body and four stubby feet. The spike then opened up like a flower, the spike quartered and a narrow head with two beady eyes and a row of sharp teeth appeared.

"What is that?" Aya asked.

"Some kind of monster," Kouga analyzed.

* * *

At the headquarters, Otome was also wondering as she stared at it on the central monitor. Nagaya came in. "Captain, what is that?"

"Gabora," Nagaya hissed. "I thought it was extinct."

"Winger 1 to base," came Yoshi's voice. "Request release code on laser weapons."

"Winger 1, you know that using weapons inside a civilized zone is strictly…"

"Permission granted," Taichi said grabbing the headset that Otome normally uses. "Release code 9-4-5-8-2-6-0!"

"Captain," Otome almost whined. "The Zero Policy!"

"Only applies in times of peace," Nagaya said. "A hostile enemy has officially appeared, the Self-Defense Treaty takes into effect."

"Against other countries, not…"

"Trust me, Otome, it's hostile."

"But sir…" Otome was definitely whining now.

"Otome… shut up!"

"Yes, sir, sorry, sir."

* * *

"Understood," Yoshiaki replied. "Wingers 2 and 3, enter 9-4-5-8-2-6-0. That should unlock your weapon controls."

"You mean… we're going to engage it?" Aya asked.

"This is big time, people, move in and engage in delta formation, I'll take point."

Aya was reluctant but programmed the code. There was a click as a computerized voice announced, "Battle Mode activated!" Ahead of her, she saw Yoshiaki's Winger move in front of the monster and fire the lasers that were underneath the Winger's nose. The monster recoiled from the attack. Aya and Kouga joined in the barrage and the monster staggered back. The panels around its head closed in again and the lasers bounced off of it.

"What's that thing made out of?" Kouga asked.

"Don't know, don't care," Yoshi said. "Let's head back to base and…" All of a sudden the head appeared again and unleashed an energy blast. The back of Yoshiaki's Winger exploded.

"Yoshi, bail out!" Aya ordered. Yoshi pulled the handle and his seat shot into the air. "Yoshi, are you all right?"

"I'm okay," Yoshi confirmed pulling his chute. "My Winger's a little trashed though."

"Stay there, I'm coming to pick you up," Aya said.

"Negative, Aya, I can make it on my own. You and Kouga work on stopping that monster! It's heading for the city!"

* * *

Nagaya let out so many curses, Otome wondered if he was a navy officer. "Otome, notify the prefecture police and have them sound an evacuation siren. Then get Koji to get the Suzaku Cannon ready and take it to Yoshiaki's position. Have Fumio power up the S.T.A.R. Recall all our field troops to the base. And where the hell is Hanna?"

"Calm down, Captain Nagaya, I'm here," a voice droned. Taichi and Otome turned to see a young girl in a D.A.R.E. uniform. Well, she looked like a young girl, but from the antenna in her hair and the way she turned her head to look around the room, you could tell that she wasn't human. In fact, the give away was her name. Hanna was actually an English acronym that stood for Humanoid Automaton Network Never Aging. Her frame was that of a child, but her eyes didn't have emotion to them. "I've already notified the prefecture police. The JSDF is sending in air support as well. Ensigns Fumio and Koji are already in the air."

"On top of things as always, aren't you, Hanna?" Nagaya asked with a smile.

"Just doing my job, sir."

"Just a show off if you ask me," Otome muttered.

"Otome, send a message to the team, tell them to assist the city in evacuation."

"Roger."

* * *

As Gabora lumbered into the city, people started fleeing in terror. Nobuyuki grabbed Yumi's hand and pulled her along, "Hurry up, Yumi."

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Hey Toshio, would you hurry it…" As Yumi turned around, she saw that Toshio wasn't there. "Toshio! Nobuyuki, Ron, Toshio's gone!" The two boys turned around and saw that she was right.

* * *

The bright orb hovered over Earth's eastern hemisphere. It could clearly see the battle with Gabora was going on. It had to intervene.

* * *

Toshio also found himself separated from the others. But he was trying to go against the flow of people. So he ducked into an alleyway and waited until the crowd died down. However, no sooner had he dared to step out then he came face-to-foot with Gabora. Toshio strained his head to see the spike. The panels parted revealing Gabora's face.

Toshio froze. The monster just stared down at the boy. It then leaned down. Toshio fell to his butt and backpedaled.

Aya was flying by and saw this. "Aya to headquarters, there's a civilian in the area, please advice."

"Aya, this is Yoshiaki, I'm on a building top right near your location. I have a little surprise for our four-legged friend. Move in and pick-up the civilian. Kouga, I want you to blindside it."

"Hey, blindsiding people is what I'm good at." Kouga sent his plane into a nosedive and struck Gabora with its lasers. As Gabora recoiled, Yoshiaki, who was on a building with a bazooka with a bird's head on it, aimed his heavy arms weapon and fired. The shaft of energy sent Gabora to the ground. The metal panels quickly closed up around Gabora's head again.

"Now's your chance," Yoshi said to Aya. "Move in."

"Roger, switching to vertical thrust." The thruster units on the undercarriage of the Winger shifted so that they were pointing down. Slowly, the Winger started to land. As the kid's face came into view, Aya said, "Hey, isn't that…"

Toshio was beginning to think the pilot looked familiar too. The hatch opened and the pilot stood up. "Hurry up and get in!"

"It's you!" Toshio gasped. "You were the one from before, with the car trouble. You're part of D.A.R.E.?" He coiled back like Aya was a poisonous snake poised to strike.  
"Hurry up, unless you'd rather remain here with the monster."

Behind him, Toshio could hear the panels opening up. Gabora was getting ready to launch an attack. Toshio decided that D.A.R.E. was the lesser of two evils and sprinted towards the Winger right before the energy ball reached his former location. When he got there, he realized there was one particular problem with his rescue, "Your plane has only one seat."

Aya blinked her eyes. In her haste, she forgot that the Winger was a one-seat jet. She looked down at the kid. This was going to get embarrassing. She held out her hand and helped the kid into the Winger. She sat down in the seat and placed a leg on either side of the seat with the kid in between her. "Just sit tight and keep your hands where I can see them."

Toshio scrunched up into a ball on the edge of the seat. Aya closed the cockpit. "This is Aya, I have the civilian with me."

"Understood," Yoshi replied. "Get as far away from here as you can, we'll cover you… Aya, bank right, now!" When Yoshi yelled, you better listen. Aya threw the control stick to the right accidentally clonking Toshio in the head.

"Ow!"

"Sorry, I'm not used to flying with a passenger."

The plane banked just as a yellow energy blast from Gabora shot by them.

* * *

"Captain, the J.S.D.F.'s first battalion has reached Gabora's location," Otome reported.

"It won't be enough," Nagaya said.

"Sir, aren't you being a bit too pessimistic. What proof do you have that they will fail?"

Unknown to Otome, Taichi slammed shut a small notebook. "Experience," he said cryptically.

"Captain, there's something entering Earth's atmosphere!"

"Damn it, what now?"

* * *

The orb was becoming bright red from the friction in Earth's atmosphere. It angled towards the small crescent-shaped island.

* * *

"Darn it, Kouga, where are you?" Aya hissed.

"Sorry, got held up back there." Kouga's Winger came zooming in shooting its lasers.

_This isn't good, _Aya thought. _I want to join the fight but I can't with this kid with me. _"Hold on!" She went into a barrel roll as Gabora strafed them again.

A barrage of fire hit Gabora's blind spot. He turned and started stomping on the tanks that had rolled up behind them.

"D.A.R.E. Headquarters to Winger 2, there's an unidentified flying object heading right for you! Take evasive maneuvers!"

"Where is it?" Aya asked as she threw her Winger into a sideslip.

"It's too late, look!" Toshio cried. Aya looked around and saw a red orb heading right for her. She and Toshio screamed.

"Aya!" Kouga called out.

Thinking fast, Toshio pulled the ejection chord. Because he wasn't strapped to the seat like Aya was, only she was thrown into the air. _Nobody would care if an Outcast died._

The glowing ball struck the nose of the Winger. The cockpit fell apart. Aya saw shrapnel from the canopy hatch and control panel go right into Toshio's body.

Toshio's eyes were in shock. For a moment, Aya's image was replaced by another woman, someone who looked similar to Aya but her hair was cut in a pageboy style.

_What was… _Then Toshio was engulfed by light.

* * *

"Aya-san? Aya? AYA!" Otome cried.

"It's no use," Nagaya said. "There's only one force that can stop Gabora."

"But what is it?" Otome asked.

"Light."

"Solar energy is the way to defeat Gabora? You're brilliant, sir!" Nagaya just gave the girl a wary glance.

"Captain, air support has arrived," Hanna announced.

* * *

Several F-14s flew through the cityscape and started dive bombing Gabora. Gabora drew its panels up around its head again. Once the planes started to circle around, Gabora's head revealed itself and he fired several balls of energy which destroyed all the JSDF's fighters.

In all the chaos, nobody noticed an energy orb surround the remains of the Winger and someone in particular.

* * *

Toshio moaned and opened his eyes. "Where am I?" The place he was in was all golden, it was almost blinding.

_"Greetings, human!"_

Toshio turned around and saw a giant staring down at him. It looked like a human but its face was gray with a protruding bone on top. Its eyes were bug-like and glowing. Its body was red with silver running around it like veins. On its chest was a glowing blue crystal surrounded in a golden broach. It had no mouth just an indentation where a mouth would be. A small diamond was on its forehead.

Toshio screamed for all he's worth. He crouched into a ball, "Don't hurt me."

_"Do not be afraid, I have no desire to harm you."_

"You don't?" Toshio got up and had to strain his head to look at the giant. "Who are you? What are you?"

_"The name of my kind is hard to pronounce. As for me personally, I am called Kinto."_

"Kinto," Toshio repeated. "I'm Toshio."

_"Toshio, I must apologize. When I saw Gabora, I quickly moved in to help and could not avoid colliding with your aircraft."_

"It's not my aircraft, it's… hey, where is the pilot?" As if on cue, a faint image of Aya, landing on a building appeared. "She's alive."

_"She's alive," _Kinto confirmed. _"I'm afraid it's you who is dead."_

"I'M DEAD?" Toshio shouted.

_"Yes, right now we are speaking in your subconscious, your mind. Your quick thinking saved the pilot but your body was impacted by shrapnel killing you. I am so sorry. I caused this mess so I feel it's my obligation to make it right."_

"How are you going to do that?"

_"It was my intention to join with one of your species."_

"How come?"

_"Listen to my story. Since time began, my kind has watched over the Earth in times of great strife. Now I'm afraid the Earth is reaching a crisis point and it starts with Gabora. The Earth needs a hero and I was chosen. However, I can not function on your planet by myself. I need a human host if I am to survive. I was originally planning on bonding with the pilot, but now I feel like I must fuse with you."_

"Me?"

_"Once joined, my power will restore your body and we'd be able to switch in order to combat. However, this process will only work successfully with your consent. Do not worry, I would never control your mind. The choice is up to you."_

"It's not really a choice, is it? If I don't join with you, I die."

_"Yes, but you get to decide if we live or die. The choice is yours."_

Toshio took another look at Aya in the image. He didn't know why, but it was like something was compelling him to take this step. "I'll do it."

_ "I am in your debt, Toshio." _Kinto lowered his hand down until it was almost on top of Toshio.

* * *

Everyone watched in awe as the golden-red orb started to expand, shattering what remained of the Winger. It began to take human shape.

Aya had just untangled herself from underneath her chute when she looked up.

Her body and mind froze at seeing the sight, the red giant with silver trimming and silver face. The golden eyes seemed to stare right into her soul.

"Great, something new to contend with," Kouga groaned. "Hey Yoshi, I see Aya, she's on top of the building to the left of that red giant."

"Roger, I'm on my way there."

* * *

Toshio found himself in a strange place. There was an orb-shaped field around him. Beyond the field, he could see outside. "Where am I?" He looked down and realized that he could only see a faint spectral version of his clothes-less body. "Gyah! Where are my clothes?"

_"Calm down, Toshio, you're in ethereal form. Material substances such as clothing do not exist in ethereal mode."_ Kinto's voice echoed all around Toshio.

Toshio's field of vision panned right and tilted down to see Aya. "Good, at least the pilot's safe… hey, why is she staring at me like she's afraid of me."

_ "Because technically, she's not looking at you, she's looking at me. It's my form that exists in the physical plain."_

"Hold on, you said that joining would restore my body."

_ "And it will, but right now my form is needed to defeat Gabora. It may be my body, but you're in control."_

"And just how do I control your body?"

_ "You control it the same way you would control your own body. Try walking up to Gabora."

* * *

_

"Captain, what is that thing?" Otome asked. "Captain Nagaya?"

Taichi stood straight as a board, muttering. "It can't be, is it really him? Just like he said?"

"Captain, what are you talking about?" Otome asked. "Do you know what that thing is?" But the Captain was silent, just squeezing his lighter with all his hands could hold.

* * *

Kinto casually walked up to Gabora. The monster was just as confused about the giant's appearance as the humans were.

"So how am I supposed to do this again?" Toshio asked.

_"You've seen how others fight, right?" _Kinto asked Toshio.

"Yeah."

_"Imitate them, try throwing a punch."_

On the outside, Kinto made a fist and slugged Gabora, making a "Kyah" sound in the process. The monster crashed into a couple of buildings.

"Was that me?"

_"Yes, that was you. Try a kick now."_

Kinto brought his foot up and kicked Gabora in the head. He then leapt into the air and came down on Gabora hard causing a small crater to form in the ground.

"That was cool," Toshio commented.

_"Don't let your guard down," _Kinto advised.

"Right."

Kinto took a few steps back as Gabora got up. Its panels closed in around its head.

"Like that's going to help you," Toshio said as he ordered his new body to charge forward.

_"Toshio, wait!" _As Kinto's fist touched the panels, a sharp pain erupted causing Kinto to stagger back. _"I tried to warn you, Gabora's armor is harder than diamond, that's how it's able to drill underground."_

"Okay, looks like all I have to do is wait until it…" Toshio's soul room (the dark area outside the blue globe he was encased in) started to turn red.

On the outside, the crystal on Kinto's chest also started to flash red. Kinto seemed to regard it intently.

"Kinto, what does that siren mean?" Toshio asked.

_"It means big trouble," _Kinto said.

"What?"

_"There's not any time to go into a full explanation, but we need to finish this battle fast because if the crystal on my chest stops flashing it could mean the end of us all!"

* * *

_

"Damn, what did he say about Gabora?" Nagaya muttered.

"Captain, what is it?" Otome asked though she knew that he most likely wasn't going to respond to her.

"Uranium," Taichi said snapping his fingers. "Otome, tell Fumio to release the S.T.A.R.'s Hazardous Substance container. If I recall, it contains uranium casing."

Otome gave up on asking why and just relayed the message.

* * *

S.T.A.R. stood for Sky Transport and Rescue. While the Wingers D.A.R.E. normally employs were built for speed, the S.T.A.R. lived up to its name by functioning as a rescue and transport plane. The result of a cross breed between an SR-71 and an X-33, the S.T.A.R. supported a wide flat nose, long fuselage, double tail rudders and wings which extended from the back rather than attached to the sides. While it didn't have much maneuverability, it sported tough armor and two powerful fusion cannons, one under each wing. But its main feature was that it served as a mobile command center supporting a crew of six plus extra passengers if need be. The danger of S.T.A.R. was that there was no way to escape quickly or safely.

S.T.A.R. also contained a Hazardous Substance container, a large metal ball designed for containing and hauling dangerous chemicals. Its outer layer was made of a non-radioactive uranium substance and contained a lead interior.

Fumio and Koji, who were piloting it, moved S.T.A.R. between Gabora and Kinto. A hatch towards the rear opened up and an orb was deposited onto the ground. Gabora's panels opened up and the monster slowly walked towards it.

_"This is our chance," _Kinto said. _"Toshio, follow these movements…"_

Kinto held up his right arm and punched the wrist device that was on it. Energy started to gather in it. Lowering his right arm so that the two arms together formed an L-shape, the wrist device fired a shaft of energy. The shaft of energy hit Gebora in the head sending it into some other buildings. Its head exploded followed by its body.

"I did it… I actually did it!" Toshio leapt up in celebration.

_"Toshio, careful, don't forget what this body does is a reflection of what you do."_

"Oh, sorry."

On the outside, people started to carefully walk up to Kinto. Kinto looked down at them all. Then he looked up at Aya who was now joined by Yoshi.

"Oh great, I can't leave with all these people here."

_"Fly."_

"I can fly?"

_"Sure."_

Kinto raised his arms to the sky and with a "Shoowatch" took off.

On the building, Aya touched the communicator on the side of her helmet. "Aya to headquarters; request S.T.A.R. for pursuing of the red giant."

"Negative, Aya, let him go."

"Let him go? But Captain, how do we know he won't wreck havoc on the city?"

"Let him go, Aya, our job is to help people recover from a disaster, not cause new ones."

Aya sighed, "Understood, sir." She looked up at the sky. _Poor kid, _she thought.

* * *

Kinto soared down to an alleyway far away from the battle sight. As he touched down, he started to glow. He shrunk down and Toshio appeared in his place. "I'm back," he said. He then felt something on his arm. He pushed open his sleeve and saw a gold wrist device with a black center and twelve small red lights at regular intervals around it. "What is this?"

_"This is the Ultra Brace. When danger arises it will turn blue. When it does, touch it with your fist and you'll gain my power and form."_

"Kinto, where are you?"

_"Inside you, we're bonded remember."_

"This is going to be strange."

_"One more thing, please don't tell anybody about our connection. If word got out, it could prove disastrous for those around you."_

"I don't want anybody to get caught up in this. I guess I can handle it."

"Toshio!" It was Nobuyuki and the others. Toshio lowered his sleeve covering the Ultra Brace just in time as Yumi once again threw herself into Toshio's arms and once again, the force sent them both tumbling to the ground. Despite their rough landing, Yumi continued to nuzzle up to Toshio like a cat. "Oh Toshi-chan, I was so worried about you. I never want to leave your side again."

"Yumi, stop, you're embarrassing me."

* * *

Captain Nagaya leaned down and whispered into Hanna's ear, "Did you trace the signal?"

"Yes, sir," the android replied.

"Good, keep a satellite trained on it."

* * *

Next episode:

D.A.R.E. Captain Nagaya uses Toshio's friends to convince him to join D.A.R.E. And Toshio discovers that the Ultra Brace has one critical flaw.

The Twelve Trials


	2. The Twelve Trials

Ultraman Evolution

D.A.R.E. Captain Taichi Nagaya came into the room where Hanna was looking over a 3-D map of the Shinjuku district of Tokyo. "Status of target," he requested.

"Approaching the west end," Hanna said. "And there's something else…"

Taichi noticed the red dot approaching a white dot. He smiled, "Well, this will be interesting."

* * *

The Twelve Trials

* * *

Toshio quietly approached the woman with long hair in a blue sundress. In all the hustle and bustle of the normal citizens (and the Outcasts trying to scrounge up penny change for their next meal), she probably wouldn't even notice her purse was gone. He waited until she stopped to look in a window, then he ran by her and ripped the purse from her arm.

"Hey!"

Toshio skidded to a halt, the voice sounded familiar.

Toshio then did the one thing no thief (or Outcast) is supposed to do.

He looked back.

It was the D.A.R.E. pilot who rescued him a few days ago. She was out of uniform and looked really angry.

Toshio cursed, he just stole from a D.A.R.E. officer.

He was dead.

"Hey I know you you're the kid from the Gabora incident. I thought you were killed." It was hard to keep something like a monster appearing under wraps. Everyone knew about it and the red and silver giant that fought it.

Paling, Toshio took a step back. He then turned and ran off.

"Come back here," Aya commanded kicking off her heels so that she could run easier.

Toshio skidded around a corner taking the wallet from the purse and throwing the purse back. He decided to take his normal escape route underground.

There was a closed off subway station, the entrance was boarded up. But Toshio knew that several of the boards were loose. He formed a small hole for him and slipped underneath the barrier. He ran down the steps and around the corner. He took cover behind an old newsstand. He laughed, "That crazy bat would never think of following me down here."

His words were proven untrue as he heard footsteps coming down the steps and a woman's heavy breathing. He got up and leapt from the platform onto the track. He took off down the tunnel not bothering to see if the D.A.R.E. officer followed him. He ran into an electrical door. Once inside, he grabbed a broom and wedged it between the handle and the wall. It probably wouldn't hold but it should be able to distract her for a moment. He ran down the tunnel, took his second left and through another door. Once there, he paused, waiting for the telltale signs that the woman followed him.

They never came.

Toshio couldn't believe his luck. He stole from a D.A.R.E. officer and lived. The others would be surprised with what he pulled off.

* * *

"Got them, sir," Hanna announced.

"Good, get over there and take charge," Taichi instructed.

"Yes, sir."

* * *

The others were waiting for him when he got back with supplies. "You guys aren't going to believe this, but I robbed a D.A.R.E. officer."

Nobuyuki, Ron, and Yumi all gasped, "Could that be it?" Nobuyuki asked.

"Could what be it?" Toshio asked.

"Toshi-chan, haven't you heard?" Yumi asked. "D.A.R.E. is starting to round up Outcasts."

"What, why now?" Toshio asked.

"Because you stole from a D.A.R.E. officer," Nobuyuki said swatting the wallet out of Toshio's hand.

"We don't know that for sure," Ron said as Yumi removed a card from the wallet.

"Fukui… Ayako," she read. "It says here she's a Lieutenant in D.A.R.E.'s Special Air Unit."

"This isn't good," Nobuyuki said. "I'm sure D.A.R.E. wouldn't care whether or not we Outcasts live or die!"

"They would probably kill me even if I wasn't an Outcast," Ron said glumly. Ron wasn't just an Outcast, he was a refugee from America. Those types of Outcasts were both pitied and vilified.

"Everyone, relax," Toshio said. "There's no way they'll find this place. It's underground and can only be unlocked from inside."

"Um… Toshi-chan," Yumi called.

"Yumi, I told you not to call me that," Toshio said.

"But Toshi-chan, this card is beeping."

Toshio grabbed the card. Sure enough, the card was letting out a steady tone. He touched the card using his ability to understand machines. "It's a transmitter! That's why she didn't follow me into the tunnel she knew she could track us with this."

"Idiot," Nobuyuki said. "You lead D.A.R.E. right to us!"

"Don't call Toshi-chan an idiot," Yumi demanded.

"Well what do you call someone who put us all in danger?" Nobuyuki asked.

Toshio put two fingers in his mouth and let out an ear-piercing whistle attracting the attention of the others. "Everyone calm down! We all knew that D.A.R.E. would find us one day, we've prepared for this, so instead of fighting ourselves, let's fight them!" Toshio can be stubborn at times but when he shouted, people listened.

A loud banging came from the storm doors leading down to their hideout.

"They're already here!" Ron cried out in fright.

"Nobuyuki, Yumi, do it, that door won't hold them for long!"

"Right," the two said.

Toshio turned to Ron, "Ron, quick, the tunnel we found."

"Right."

The storm doors burst open with such force that they were almost considered dangerous weapons. D.A.R.E. soldiers wearing the blue and gray riot armor and carrying rifles with laser scopes mounted on them burst into the room. "You four are coming with us," one said. He was the leader judging by the blue stripe on his bicep.

"Now!" Toshio commanded. Nobuyuki and Yumi pushed some scaffolding down on the D.A.R.E. soldiers. "Nice job, let's go, Ron." The two took off with Yumi following. Nobuyuki turned to follow but ended up falling flat on his face. He turned and saw that one of the D.A.R.E. soldiers got his leg.

"Nobuyuki!"

"Get this scaffolding off," the D.A.R.E. leader ordered.

"Go, don't worry about me," Nobuyuki said.

"Don't worry," Toshio said. "We'll come back for you."

"Right." The other three ran into the back room.

"That scaffolding won't hold them for long," Yumi said as Toshio removed some loose bricks to reveal a tunnel just big enough for the children to crawl through.

"Just so it's long enough," Toshio said. "Ron, you go first."

"But Toshio…"

"You said it your self, D.A.R.E. would probably kill you no matter what."

"All right." Ron got down on his belly and crawled into the tunnel. Toshio followed. "Yumi, don't worry about replacing the bricks, they wouldn't…" But Toshio saw that Yumi was re-inserting the bricks on the outside of the tunnel. "Yumi, no!"

"Toshio, promise me you'll come rescue me like a proper husband. Promise me!"

"Don't worry, Yumi, I'll come get you and Nobuyuki both!"

"Thank you, Toshi-chan!" Yumi quickly replaced the bricks then went to a countertop that wasn't attached to the wall. With all her strength she pushed the countertop in front of the covered opening. "Toshi-chan, I love you," she said just as the door burst open and two D.A.R.E. guards stormed in with guns trained on her.

"Where are the other two?" One of the guards asked.

"You won't kill me without a fight," Yumi said.

"Kill you?"

"Don't play dumb with me, you D.A.R.E. guys want to kill all Outcasts, well I won't let you kill me, and I ESPECIALLY won't let you kill my husband Toshio!" She lunged at them.

* * *

Ron and Toshio continued through the tunnel. It was probably about a mile long and came out into the same subway where he lost the D.A.R.E. woman. "Toshio," Ron said. "I don't feel right leaving Nobuyuki and Yumi there."

"I don't want to do that either, but better to have some of us escape than have all of us captured."

"Yeah, I guess your right."

Toshio kept talking he knew Ron didn't like the dark or closed-in spaces. But even the American boy knew that they had to stay free for their friends' sake. "If we can get some other Outcasts, we can attack D.A.R.E. and free our friends."

"But do you think others would want to help us?" Ron asked.

"To get back at D.A.R.E., I'd say yes. Keep going, Ron, we're almost at the exit."

"Right." Ron could see the faint traces of daylight coming from the other end of the tunnel. It wasn't long before they exited through a grate into the abandoned subway. A few Outcasts were huddling over a barrel fire for warmth. Ron and Toshio kept a wide berth since the other Outcasts were giving them suspicious looks.

"Okay, let's split up," Toshio said. "And meet at the rendezvous house." The rendezvous house was a storage closet in a parking garage and was set up to be a hideout in case their first one was ever discovered.

"Right." The two split up. Toshio headed up the stairs first. After he was sure his friend was gone, Ron followed up the stairs too.

He didn't get very far when something stepped in his path and Ron found himself on his back dazed. He looked up and saw a girl a little bit older than him. Her dark hair was pulled back in a half-ponytail and her brown eyes seemed almost lifeless.

"Uh… sorry," Ron said. He then noticed what she was wearing.

It was a D.A.R.E. uniform.

Ron scrambled to get up but the girl reached out with one hand and held him up in the air. Ron wondered how a teenager could be so strong.

Toshio peeked around a corner to make sure no cops or worse, D.A.R.E. officers were in sight. When the coast was clear, he ran around the corner. He was starting to wonder if splitting up with Ron was a good idea. Toshio was so deep in thought that he didn't hear footsteps coming up behind him.

"Excuse me, can I have my card back?"

Toshio froze, he recognized that voice. Once again, he broke the Outcasts' #1 rule and turned back.

Aya stood there, now in full D.A.R.E. uniform. More than the uniform, Toshio noticed the sidearm she carried. "You're not taking me alive," he said.

"Sorry, kid, but I have orders to take you in alive, we already have your friends."

"Yumi, Ron, Nobuyuki!" Toshio turned around and ran down the street. He sped through the streets almost getting run over more than once. All the while, he could feel Aya practically breathing down his back. He finally reached a dead end in an alleyway.

"All right, enough running," Toshio said lifting his sleeve to reveal the Ultra Brace. "Let's see how brave you talk when you're a stain underneath my boot." He punched the Ultra Brace with his fist.

Nothing happened.

"What's wrong with this thing?" Toshio asked hitting it a couple of more times.

"Got you!" Aya grabbed Toshio in a full nelson. "Outcast, I'm taking you in for robbery of a D.A.R.E. officer and evading arrest."

Toshio squirmed as much as he could but Aya's hold on him was iron tight. Finally, he relaxed.

He lost.

* * *

At D.A.R.E. Headquarters, Toshio was put in an interrogation cell. The cell was basically a ten foot by six foot room with a table, a couple of chairs, a security camera in the corner and a mirror that took up one entire wall.

Except the mirror wasn't a mirror, but a hidden window, which Captain Nagaya and Yoshiaki used to observe him.

"So what's so special about this kid?" Yoshi asked.

"There's something about him," Taichi said. "Let's observe him and sees what he does."

The two then noticed Toshio staring directly at them with a scowl. "Do you think he knows we're watching him from here?" Yoshi asked.

"Probably, he's a lot smarter than even he expects."

Toshio did know they were watching him though he thought it was from the security camera, not the two-way mirror. It wasn't even them he was looking at in the mirror, but an image of Kinto. "You have a lot of explaining to do," he said. "You said the Ultra Brace would work when I was in trouble so why didn't it work."

_"Because you weren't really in trouble."_

"You don't know D.A.R.E., they're commanded by the government. The government hates all Outcasts, they would do anything to sweep us away forever!"

_"And what makes you so sure that's what D.A.R.E. wants to do to you?"_

"How about instead of asking questions you tell me how to work the Ultra Brace so that I can call on your power whenever I want? Or is that asking too much?"

_"I can tell you. You see those red lights around the boarder?" _Toshio looked down at the Ultra Brace and saw the twelve dim gold lights around the boarder of the blue part. He nodded. _"Well those lights represent the Twelve Trials."_

"Twelve… trials?"

_"The Ultra Brace's power is limited by the Twelve Trials. But if you can light up all the lights, the Ultra Brace will become permanently unlocked and you can transform on command. Until that happens, you will only be able to transform in moments of extreme danger."_

"So how do I light them up?"

_"By learning."_

"What do you mean by learning?"

_"You need to learn the twelve virtues and in turn teach them to others."_

"So not only do I need to learn stuff, I need to teach them to others? But what if they won't listen to me? I'm just a kid."

_"Whether they choose to listen to you or not is their choice, all you have to do is show them what you've learned. But it's worth it. For each trial you complete, you're able to perform new techniques. And once all twelve are completed, you will have the wisdom needed to harness the Ultra Brace's final gift."_

Toshio stood up, "Fine, but right now I have more important things to worry about than twelve lessons. I need to get out of here and if you can't help me escape, then I'm going to have to rescue my friends on my own."

"Looks like he's finished talking to himself," Yoshi commented.

"And starting to make his escape," Taichi commented as he turned to leave.

"Huh?"

"Just watch."

_If I'm going to escape, I'm going to have to disconnect that security camera first. _He grabbed a chair and moved beyond the camera's line of sight. He placed the chair underneath the camera and climbed up. He removed the connecting wire. _There, now I won't be disturbed. _He tried opening the door but it was locked with a digital code. Toshio used his ability to study the circuitry of the lock. "Insulated wires, very clever, it's impossible to feel the friction from the impulses generated by the keypad. As Ron would say, 'no biggie.'" He slid his glance to the left. He saw it, the slight crack where the signals from the keypad would reach the releasing mechanism. But since he disconnected the panel's casing that also rendered the keypad useless. He wedged the needle in between the crack then disconnected one of the wires from the back of the keypad. He jammed it into the needle. The shock sent him almost to the other side of the room. He could feel Kinto's concern for his well-being. Toshio shook his head to clear it and saw what his work accomplished.

A six inch crack appeared in between the doors. Toshio wedged the leg of the chair in between the doors and used it to put some more distance in between the doors. The hole he created wasn't very large but it was big enough to squeeze through on his side.

As soon as Toshio was through, he got up and dusted himself off. "Okay, now for the others."

"Clever work, kid."

Toshio jumped and turned to find Taichi standing right behind him. Toshio fell to the floor and backed up against the wall, suddenly feeling like a rat caught in a cage.

"I'm Taichi Nagaya, head of D.A.R.E. Japan. You can just call me Captain."

Toshio took his outstretched hand and stood up. He still gave the Captain a suspicious look, "Where are my friends? What have you done to them?"

"I'll show you." Taichi led Toshio down a hallway towards the command room. "D.A.R.E. was actually formed as an offshoot of another organization, but has since grown into a force unto its own. Its original purpose was to help survivors of natural disasters. But after Gabora appeared, some changes had to be made."

"Gabora?" Toshio asked more out of surprise that the Captain knew its name than confusion.

"You should know him, you got up close and personal before Aya came swooping in and rescued you."

"Oh, the monster."

"Right." Taichi stopped at a set of large doors marked 'Command Room.' He opened them. "Your friends are in here."

Carefully, Toshio stepped through the doorway.

The Command Room wasn't what he expected it to be. A C-shaped control panel surrounded a strange blue energy column. Two more control panels sat off to the right of the C-shaped panel. Nearby were five chutes with red lights over them.

Toshio was flabbergasted. Not only were his friends all right, but they seemed to be mingling with the D.A.R.E. staff. Otome was teaching Yumi Cat's Cradle. Nobuyuki and Kouga were arm wrestling (Kouga, of course, was winning). And Ron was poking Hanna in the arm though Hanna didn't seem annoyed in the slightest by it.

"Wh… what the…?" He asked.

Yumi was the first to see him. "Toshi-chan!" She passed off her string to Otome and ran to him enveloping him in a big hug. "Are you all right? Those D.A.R.E. idiots didn't harm you, did they?"

"Uh… yeah… I mean no… I mean I'm fine, Yumi."

"As you can see, your friends are just fine," Captain Taichi said. "To tell you the truth, the only reason we have them here is so we would get the chance to talk to you."

"Huh, me? But why?"

"All in good time, my boy, all in good time. In the mean time, I think some introductions are in order. The young lady that Yumi-chan was playing with is Ai Otome, our communication officer."

Otome stood up and gave Toshio a two finger salute, "Cha," she greeted.

"The arm wrestler one is Arata Kouga."

"Hey, kid," Kouga greeted.

"The two over by the launch chutes are Wang Koji, surveillance expert and Saotome Fumio, marksman." Fumio made a show of twirling his gun before returning it to its holster. "And the one who Ron has been poking in the arm is Hanna, our very own android."

"That's why her arm's been making a clanking sound when I touched it," Ron realized.

"Myoga Yoshiaki here is my field commander." It was then that Aya stepped into view causing Toshio to slink back to Taichi's side. "And you already know Fukui Ayako."

"We met," Toshio said dryly. "Captain, what is this about?"

"I'll get to that, but first I have some announcements to take care of. D.A.R.E., attention!" The D.A.R.E. officers stood in a line. Hanna deactivated the blue energy column and Taichi used it like a platform. "With Gabora's appearance, the government has seen fit to change D.A.R.E.'s status to patrol and enforcement in times of threats from an unknown party or parties such as Gabora. All combat D.A.R.E. personnel now have the ability to make arrests and persecute if they think the ones involved are proving a hindrance to D.A.R.E. operations and protection of the city from non-human threats. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," the D.A.R.E. officers said.

"Starting today, we will undergo basic training so that a situation like what happened with Gabora will not happen again."

"What about the red giant?" Fumio asked. "Any idea on whom or what he is or what he wants?"

"Our Intelligence division is looking into it. But because the giant appeared so unexpectedly, we didn't even have time to run a satellite scan over him."

"I don't trust him," Aya said.

"You're just saying that because he busted up your Winger," Kouga said.

"I'm serious. Just because he defeated Gabora for us doesn't automatically make him on our side. For all we know, he could've had a grudge against Gabora and destroying him worked out in his best interest as well as ours. We should hunt down the giant and destroy it."

"No," Toshio said more loudly than he intended. "He's not evil, I know it!"

"And how do you know?" Koji asked.

"I just… it's just a hunch."

"Well I'm not about to let that red giant do whatever he wants based on a hunch," Aya said and rushed for the chute.

"Aya, wait!" Yoshi called but Aya was already half way in the chute.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Kouga said. "Her ego was bruised more than her plane."

"But her plane was utterly destroyed," Toshio pointed out.

"Exactly my point."

"Which brings us back to why you're here, Honda-chan." Toshio jumped at Taichi saying his family name. "Oh yeah, we have profiles on you and your friends." He turned to each of Toshio's friends. "Uzuki Nobuyuki, father currently serving life sentence, mother dead. Jennings Ron, your family escaped the Legion's Rising before the War. Your parents were apprehended by the American government two months ago and are currently being held as terrorists. It seems the American government is also looking for you." Ron gulped. "Asami Yumi, mother in prison for prostitution, father unknown. And finally, we have you, Honda Toshio, No known parents, no known siblings, no blood relatives what-so-ever. But you do have a police record which includes robbery, theft, bribery, conspiracy, everything but murder. You're quite notorious in the law enforcement circle."

"Are you going to turn us in to Kochan?" Toshio asked.

"Apparently you weren't listening to what I was saying earlier," Taichi said. "We're in the monster exterminating business now, we don't have time for general law enforcement."

"So what do you want with us?" Toshio asked for what felt like the hundredth time.

"I think your skills would be a valuable asset to D.A.R.E. Japan."

"You want me to join you?" Toshio recoiled like he was just slapped. His friends and the other members of D.A.R.E. were shocked too and all but Hanna showed it.

"I saw the way you escaped from that room. You have intuition and reflexes well beyond anybody your age. And the monsters we face in the future are going to be as strong as Gabora if not stronger that is certain."

"You kidnap my friends and now you want me to join you? No, I won't do it!"

"Are you nuts, kid?" Yoshi asked.

"Not everyone can join D.A.R.E.," Otome commented. "Trust me it took me ten tries before I got accepted."

Taichi held up his hand silencing his subordinates. "Of course you're free to refuse the offer. But think objectively for a minute. Before, you and your friends were living in a dark and dungy basement. It was probably cold in the winter months. Food came on a day by day basis if you were extremely lucky and you had to constantly avoid being caught by the police. As part of D.A.R.E., you'll have food and drink within easy reach, a roof over your head, even new clothes." He glanced at the Ultra Brace which was partly sticking out of Toshio's sleeve.

Toshio lowered his sleeve covering the Brace again. "I won't leave my friends," he said firmly.

His friends seemed to breathe a sigh of content at that remark.

Taichi turned around so that the others wouldn't notice the smile of satisfaction that crossed his lips. "You really don't want to part with your friends, do you? Very well then, I guess I have no choice but to extend my offer to them as well." He turned back to them, his serious look returning. "The four of you can go back to the life you were living, or you can elevate yourselves to something new and better. The choice is yours."

Toshio took another look at his friends. It didn't seem fair that their fate was in his hand as well as his own. Finally, he firmed up and said, "I won't play your game! Government organizations like D.A.R.E. hate Outcasts and would do anything to bring us out of the way. It's happened before and will happen again. I will not join the enemy."

Kouga was about to protest but Hanna stopped him.

"That's fine," Taichi said. "It is your choice after all. However, I'll say this: if you ever wanted to make a difference and provide a better life for your friends, this is the best place and time to do it. Hanna, Fumio, take the children back to town in the S.T.A.R."

"That's it?" Nobuyuki asked. "You aren't going to interrogate us or anything?"

"Why would we?" Taichi asked. "Despite what you may think of us, D.A.R.E.'s only goal is to protect humanity. You probably don't believe us, but we have no desire to harm any Outcasts."

* * *

Aya flew her Winger over the area of town where Gabora and Kinto fought. The explosion of Gabora caused a lot of buildings to become unstable so they were all demolished and construction started anew. _Where are you, red giant? _She asked. She left the city limits and flew over the mountains. "Beautiful," she muttered staring at the mountain.

Suddenly the mountain started spouting lava. A strange creature emerged from it. It was saurian, shaped like a Tyrannosaurus. But its head was flat and shaped like a crescent moon and spikes on its stomach.

Captain Nagaya and the remaining D.A.R.E. officers saw the monster emerge from the mountain.

"Captain, what is that?" Otome asked.

"It's Gomola," Taichi identified. "A monster that attacked Osaka in ancient times, it was thought extinct."

"You mean like Gabora?" Otome asked.

"No… Gabora was much weaker. Yoshi, Kouga, Koji, prepare for departure!"

"G.T.G.," the three men said and went directly for the chutes.

"Sir, permission to go along with them," Otome requested.

"Sorry, Otome, with Hanna and Fumio gone I'm going to need you here now more than ever. Now, are you ready to go to work?"

"G.T.G.," Otome said solemnly.

* * *

Gomola stomped towards town, Aya hot in pursuit. She inputted the code activating her weapon systems. "You're not the one I'm looking for," Aya said. "But you'll make good target practice." She fired the lasers. They landed right between Gomola's eyes. It staggered back and swung its tail. Aya climbed to get out of its range then came down again firing her lasers.

Suddenly Gomola lifted its head and fired a blast of blue fire. Aya tried to bank but it strafed her tail fin sending her into a dive.

* * *

"So, where do you four want to be dropped off?" Hanna asked. The four kids looked at each other. D.A.R.E. already found out about their first home, if they knew their second home. Despite D.A.R.E.'s hospitality, they still found it hard to trust them.

"Just anywhere's fine," Toshio said glumly.

"Toshi-chan," Yumi whispered. "What's wrong?"

"Don't tell us you were actually thinking about joining them," Nobuyuki said.

"I… I…"

"Toshi-chan, it's okay, you can tell us," Yumi assured him. Scowling at Nobuyuki, she continued, "We won't put you down."

"Look, you guys know I would do anything for you. But lately I've been wondering if… if maybe you guys wouldn't be any better off with D.A.R.E. than you would if we were on the streets."

Yumi entwined Toshio's arm (thankfully not the one the Ultra Brace was on) in both of hers. "I would follow you anywhere, Toshi-chan."

"There's no way I'm going back to America, the government wouldn't hesitate to shoot me on sight then make me look like the villain."

"Have you all flipped?" Nobuyuki asked. "They're D.A.R.E., they're part of the government!"

"Actually, D.A.R.E. is organized under a globalize Life Defense Council who prominently decides where to divert D.A.R.E.'s services," Hanna explained. Nobuyuki jumped. Hanna continued, "The Life Defense Council exists outside the normal sphere of political influence which is how we can perform missions in territories that might be normally considered geo-political hot spots."

"You could hear all of us?"

"Of course, I can pick up sounds with a decibel of 3.5 megahertz within a five meter radius. In other words, I could hear a pin drop five rooms over."

"I don't think D.A.R.E. intends to do us any harm, and if I agree to work for them, you guys will be safe."

"But we don't want you to leave us," Yumi said gripping Toshio's arm tighter.

"That's one thing that's never going to happen."

"D.A.R.E. Headquarters to S.T.A.R.," Otome's voice came out from the communicator on board the S.T.A.R. "A monster has appeared, Wingers are in pursuit, suggest you find shelter until coast is clear."

"Understood," Hanna began. "Will land at auxiliary point…"

"S.T.A.R. moving into battle!" Fumio cried and banked the large jet so roughly that it sent the children flying from their seats.

"Fumio, have you forgotten we have civilian passengers," Hanna reminded him.

"I won't let my homeland be overrun by a freak of nature!"

"What were you saying about us being safer with D.A.R.E.?" Nobuyuki asked Toshio.

"I only said I was wondering," Toshio disclaimed.

* * *

Aya looped above Gomola and fired her Winger's lasers between Gomola's eyes. Gomola lowered its head and blocked the lasers. Suddenly one of the spikes on Gomola's chest fired. It nicked Aya's Winger in underbelly.

"I can't take much more of this."

"Aya, this is Yoshi, land your Winger and start a ground assault. We'll cover you."

"But Yoshi, I only have a hand weapon with me."

"It'll have to do."

Aya swore and angled for a field nearby. "Roger," she said.

Up above, Yoshi, Kouga, and Koji flew their own Wingers towards Gomola. "Koji, Kouga, move into delta formation, we'll strafe him from above."

"But that thing looks tough," Koji said. "Let me study it with the Spectrumscope." Koji placed his Winger into hover mode over Gomola. From its undercarriage, a small antenna emitter flashed Gomola with different colors. Gomola freaked out and fired a blast of blue fire. Koji's Winger went into a downward spiral near where Aya landed her Winger.

"Shit, Koji!" Yoshi cried.

"Yoshi, this is Aya, I'll go check on Koji, you attack that thing."

"Attack it with what?" Kouga asked. "That thing got two Wingers, we're not going to stand much chance without help."

"Banzai!" The S.T.A.R. came out of a cloud bank firing the Nexus Cannons underneath its wings.

"Fumio, what are you doing? Are those kids with you?" Yoshi asked.

"Yoshiaki, this is Hanna, I'm afraid Fumio has gone… patriotic again."

Yoshi slapped himself in the forehead, "I hate it when he gets like this."

On board the S.T.A.R., Hanna told the kids, "Buckle up, we will see some heavy combat soon." The kids started buckling the harnesses.

"I can't get mine," Yumi complained. Toshio unbuckled himself and began adjusting Yumi's. "Thank you, Husband."

"Husband?" Hanna asked.

"It's a long story," Toshio said.

"Firing Nexus Cannon!" The fierce big burst of plasma energy sent Gomola down. "Ha-ha, you won't touch my city while I live!" Fumio declared. Gomola quickly got up. Fumio turned the S.T.A.R. around and moved in to attack again. Gomola fired another of its chest spikes. Fumio tried to gain some altitude but the spike penetrated the hull of the S.T.A.R. The S.T.A.R. went into a downward spiral. Toshio, who had just finished strapping Yumi in, fell through the hole.

"Toshi-chan!"

_"Toshio, you must use the Ultra Brace!"_ A phantom image of Kinto appeared to be descending with him.

"But it doesn't work!"

_"It will now that a monster has appeared and danger is evident."_

Toshio looked down at the Ultra Brace. The center of it was now glowing blue. Remembering Kinto's explanation on how to use it, Toshio punched it. His body started to glow as energy swirled around him. The energy form expanded and became Kinto who caught the S.T.A.R. in one hand.

Down below, Aya had just found Koji's downed Winger when she saw Kinto. "The red giant!" She looked from it to Koji. Finally, she cursed and struggled to pull the canopy of the Winger.

Kinto gently set the S.T.A.R. down in an outcropping nearby then turned to face Gomola. Gomola roared a challenge. Kinto took it and charged forward. Gomola swung its tail and knocked Kinto down. Kinto got up and charged Gomola again but once again was battered back by the monster's tail. Kinto got up again and took a defensive stance. The two giants circled each other, each daring the other to make a move.

"The red giant saved us," Yumi gasped.

"I'm afraid there's no time to be amazed," Hanna said as she pulled an unconscious Fumio from his seat. "We have to get out of here before the S.T.A.R. explodes."

"But how, we're on our belly," Nobuyuki said. Hanna pressed a button and a skylight opened up. "Well that's great, but how do I get…" Hanna grabbed Nobuyuki with one hand and tossed him up through the skylight and onto the roof. Hanna cradled Fumio as she told Ron and Yumi, "Hang on to me." The two kids climbed onto her back and held on tight as the android leapt through the skylight. Once outside, everyone jumped to the ground. They escaped just in time as the S.T.A.R. burst into flames.

Seeing his friends were safe, Kinto resumed his battle with Gomola in earnest. Gomola swung its tail but this time Kinto was ready for it. He caught it with both hands and thrust it to the side. He then moved in to engage the monster in hand-to-hand. As the giant came in close, Gomola fired another of its chest spikes which sent Kinto flying back. Kinto got up again and this time came rushing at Gomola's left side. With a swipe of his hand, Kinto chopped off Gomola's left ear. Gomola screamed and fired a blue energy bolt sending Kinto into the side of the mountain.

"He's going to feel that in the morning," Kouga said.

"Kouga, follow my lead," Yoshi instructed. The two remaining Wingers accelerated into attack speed. They tilted at an angle and fired their lasers together. The combined force of the Wingers blew Gomola's other ear off. Now purely enraged, Gomola turned towards the Wingers.

"And why did we do that again?" Kouga asked.

"To distract him from the giant," Yoshi replied.

Kinto got up and shook his head to clear it. The crystal on his chest was flashing red again. Kinto gathered energy into the Ultra Brace. The Brace then fired the energy at Gomola.

This was Kinto's signature… and currently only attack, the Bracium Ray.

The shaft of energy blew Gomola's head off. Kinto lowered his aim and the blast soon engulfed the body too.

"He did it!" Nobuyuki cried. The children cheered as did Yoshi and Kouga.

"I guess… its over," Koji said to Aya.

Aya watched as Kinto flew off. "Maybe not," she said.

* * *

Hanna had contacted Captain Nagaya who agreed to send out another S.T.A.R. to take everyone back to headquarters. Nobuyuki and Ron were still celebrating Kinto's victory and their survival but Yumi looked rather depressed. "You are worried about Toshio, aren't you?" Hanna asked.

Yumi nodded and clasped her hands together. "Please, please, please," she prayed. "Bring my Toshio back."

"Anybody lose something?" Yumi turned to see Aya and Koji step from the forest.

Toshio was riding on Koji's back.

As soon as Koji set him down, Yumi ran to him and threw her arms around him. "Toshi-chan, I was so scared I lost you."

"I'm fine, Yumi," Toshio said. "I really am." He reluctantly returned her embrace.

* * *

Everyone returned to D.A.R.E. Headquarters. Toshio was outside Captain Nagaya's office talking with his friends. "So, you guys don't mind?"

"I told you I'd go anywhere you go, Husband."

"I don't mind," Ron said.

Nobuyuki sighed, "I just hope you know what you're getting us into."

Toshio nodded then knocked on thee door to the office. The large steel doors parted allowing Toshio access to the Spartan office.

"Oh, hello, Toshio," Nagaya greeted, "I'm just finishing up some post-mission reports but what can I do for you?"

"Captain Nagaya, it's about your offer."

"Oh?" Taichi put down his pen and filed the paper away.

"Captain, I'm willing to accept your offer to join D.A.R.E. on one condition."

"I'll accept it if it's reasonable."

"If you accept me, you accept my friends as well. We've been together for two years and we're not separating for anything."

Nagaya smiled, "You're devoted to your friends. That's a good trait to have," he said. "I hope that your devotion would be extended to me and the others as well."

"It will be hard, D.A.R.E. has a bad reputation among us Outcasts."

"Understandable, then we'll take it one day at a time. Fair?"

"Yes."

Taichi came around from behind his desk. "Then welcome aboard, Toshio Honda."

"Thank you, Captain," Toshio said shaking hands.

"What do you say we break the big news to the others?" Nagaya, Toshio, and Toshio's friends went into the control room. "Everyone, I like to introduce some new members of D.A.R.E."

"As of now, we're official members of Disaster Answer and Recovery Effort," Toshio announced. "Honda Toshio, age 15."

"Jennings Ron, age 14."

"Asami Yumi, age 14."

"Uzuki Nobuyuki, age 15."

"Nice to meet you," the children said together as they bowed.

"Captain, I'm not sure allowing children into the fold is a good idea," Fumio said. "They have a problem with authority."

"Maybe so, but at least they won't go off half-cocked putting others in danger," Nagaya said making Fumio slump his shoulders.

"I'm not sure allowing them to become members is a good idea either," Aya said. "But I'd be willing to accept it if Toshio answers one question."

"What's that?"

"How did you survive falling out of the S.T.A.R.?"

Toshio remembered that after the battle, he "lay" in the forest until Koji and Aya happen to "stumble" upon him (literally). "The truth?"

"The truth."

"The red giant saved me."

Immediately everyone's attention focused on him. "The red giant saved you?"

"Yeah, he said…"

"Wait, he talked to you?" Aya asked getting up close in Toshio's face.

"Well… I mean not talk like we're talking, he… uh…"

"He communicated through your mind?" Nagaya guessed.

"Yeah, that's it."

"Well what did he say?" Hanna asked.

"He said his name was Kinto and that he was here to help us."

"And you believe him?" Aya asked. "How do we know that's not a story to earn our trust so he can destroy us down the road?"

"He saved my life," Toshio protested. "He can't be all bad."

"He said his name was Kinto?" Otome asked leaning forward on the back of her chair. "Boring, I like the Captain's name for him better."

"What name?"

"Ultraman, we should call him that."

"Hold on, I don't think he would like it if we started calling him by a different name, even if it was out of respect."

"Okay then," Nagaya said with a smile. "How about we call him both? We'll call him Ultraman Kinto."  
"Ultraman Kinto," Toshio repeated. "Sounds okay to me."

Each of the others tried out the name orally until Otome broke the pattern by saying, "Kinto-chan." Everyone stared at her oddly. "I think he is a friend."

"Well if you like him that much, why don't you marry him?" Kouga joked.

Aya slapped him in the back of the head causing the others (except for Hanna) to burst into laughter.

Inside, Toshio wondered if he was doing the right thing. But he felt Kinto's assurance that he was doing the right thing.

* * *

Next Episode:

Toshio learns that being a part of D.A.R.E. isn't all fun and games. But as the others accept him into the fold, he solves one of the twelve trials, belonging. That unlocks a new power which Ultraman Kinto uses to battle a bird monster.

Trust


	3. Trust

Ultraman Evolution

Toshio Honda awoke to a hand pressed up against his mouth. He squirmed.

Kouga put a finger to his mouth silencing Toshio. "Get dressed and follow me," he whispered. "And try not to wake the others." Toshio and the other children were given a single crew cabin at the Citadel on what they had come to call D.A.R.E. Island. There were two sets of bunk beds, a small dresser, overhead lamp and not much else.

Kouga led Toshio through the halls of the Citadel and into an indoor running track. Yoshi, Fumio, and Hanna were already there.

"Kouga, what are we doing here?" Toshio asked.

"You're about to see what we D.A.R.E. officers have to do every day," Kouga said. "And believe me, it's not all tea and cookies. We'll start out small, five miles around the track."

"Five miles?" Toshio looked at the track. "How long is that?"

"The track's outer circumference is equivalent to one quarter of a mile," Hanna explained. "You would need to make 20 rotations to make five miles."

"You mean I need to run around the track 20 times? That's crazy."

"That's nothing compared to what we normally do," Fumio said. "I can make it fifty miles."

"Of course you can, your legs are longer," Toshio said.

"Just get going," Yoshi said. "The time you spend whining could be used in trying to complete five miles."

Toshio sighed and started running.

"Keep an eye lock on him, Hanna," Yoshi whispered. "Monitor his vitals like the Captain ordered us to."

"G.T.G.," Hanna said.

It took Toshio only 90 minutes to complete the track. Then Yoshi had him do pull ups using Hanna's outstretched arm. The original order was to do 30, Toshio could only do 6. After that, it was 50 push ups and fifty sit ups (with Hanna holding his legs which meant they were iron tight shut).

"Are we done yet?" Toshio asked as he finished his last sit-up.

"Nope," Yoshi said. "Next is one of the best parts of D.A.R.E. training."

"And that is?"

"Combat practice."

Yoshi had Toshio change into a karate uniform and took him into a room with mats covering the floor. "Aya will be the one to teach you the basics."

"Aya? She knows how to fight?" Toshio asked.

"Of course she knows how to fight," Yoshi said. "I was the one who trained her."

"Then maybe you would be the better one to train me."

"What's wrong, afraid of fighting a woman?" Aya asked appearing also in a uniform.

"I'm not afraid of anything," Toshio said defiantly.

"Good because I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're a kid."

"People rarely do," Toshio said looking at the mat.

Aya realized that perhaps she chose her words wrongly but instead of apologizing, she said, "Let's begin." She ran him through some basic kicks and punches. Then they started sparing. True to her word, Aya did not hold back and Toshio found himself on his back more than a couple of times.

After about ten minutes of this, Yoshi said, "Okay, Aya, I think you had enough fun for one day."

Aya took a deep breath and stepped back. Yoshi helped Toshio stand up.

"I think you overdid it," Toshio said.

"Don't worry what's next doesn't involve much physical activity."

"What's that?" Toshio asked

"School."

"Huh?"

* * *

Trust

* * *

Toshio walked into the room to a surprise. Ron, Nobuyuki, and Yumi were all sitting at wooden tables with chairs attached to them.

"Toshi-chan," Yumi cried happily. Then she tensed up at seeing his wary expression. "Are you all right?"

"My arms and legs feel like lead," Toshio said as he collapsed into a desk.

"Don't worry, Toshi-chan, I'll give you a nice back rub later."

"Would you two can the lovey-dovey act?" Nobuyuki asked. "The teacher's going to be here any minute."

"Good morning, Class," a cheerful voice said. A middle-aged woman came into the room. Her hair was shoulder-length and she had bangs across her forehead. She was short but not exactly fat. She wore a pair of wire frame glasses. "I'm Amagai-Sensei."

* * *

Hanna came into the command room and handed Captain Nagaya a disk. "Captain, here is the physical and meta-structure data of Toshio Honda." Nagaya inserted the disk into the computer and read the data on the main screen. "Interesting… endurance, maneuverability, everything beyond what is expected for someone for his age." Nagaya smiled. "Thought so."

"Captain, a question," Hanna said. "Why do you intend to test Toshio Honda like this? His physical attribute levels are at unexpected levels, but why should they take up your time?"

"Hanna, that almost sounds like jealousy."

"I apologize, Captain," Hanna said. "That is not my intention."

"Let's just say that if what I suspect is true, he could become a tremendous asset, but that is if Professor Amagai comes through on her end."

* * *

"After the Kaiju assault of the late 1960's and early 1970's, the Japanese government decided to insert safety shelters in all of Japan's prefectures. The design was actually based on the bomb shelters from the world war that happened about 20 years before hand. The construction started by…"

Toshio struggled to stay awake. This Professor Amagai seemed too bubbly to be a school teacher and what she taught was boring. The last exciting thing that happened was Nobuyuki tried spitting a wad of paper out of a straw and Professor Amagai caught it before it could touch the back of her neck.

Toshio couldn't hold his yawn in any further. Unfortunately for him, that was enough to attract Professor Amagai's attention. "Toshi-chan," she called.

"Hmmmm?"

"Please give the 3S category for the spatial coordinates of the nebula 3 million light years from Earth."

Nobuyuki, Ron, and Yumi were all dumbstruck by Professor Amagai's question. They haven't even started astronomy yet. And why would she pick such a random question? Was it a trick question?

"M-78," Toshio droned before he actually knew what he was saying.

Professor Amagai smiled, "Correct, Toshi-chan, very good." She turned back to the blackboard. "Now in the early twenty-first century, the United Nations decided to form two Committees, one to defend from aggressive acts and the other to help rebuild structures. After the Legion attack, the Life Defense Council…"

The others leaned in, "Toshio, how do you know that?"

"What do you mean?" Toshio asked.

"You automatically knew the answer to something that sounds like something some astronomer would know."

That woke Toshio up. _How did I know that?_

_ "Because that is my home, the Land of Light."_

Toshio jumped a little, he forgot that Kinto resided inside his mind. _"Your home?"

* * *

_

The volcano rumbled again, this time spitting out a little bit of lava. The investigation team set up on a cliff near the top started to worry. "Professor, the seismic thumper is here."

"Thank you," the scientist said. "Hopefully, we can figure out why Mount Kiriyoshi is erupting after all this time." The Professor and his assistant exited the tent and went over to the strange device. "Okay, turn it on." Upon activating a machine, a low thump began emitting from it. "Any response yet?"

"Not yet, Professor, but we've only reached twenty meters, we still have some ways to go." The ground underneath them started shaking again. This time, the shaking was so hard that the machine fell over. The cliff they were on started to break away from the volcano. The last thing the expedition team heard was a loud screeching sound.

* * *

_"So your home is called the Land of Light?" _Toshio asked Kinto as he walked through the headquarters after school.

_"Correct, it is the headquarters of the Space Garrison."_

_ "Space Garrison?"_

_ "It's not dissimilar to D.A.R.E., The purpose of the Space Garrison is to protect the peace and tranquility of the universe."_

_ "And yet you came to Earth. What makes Earth so special?"_

_ "Before I left, my Sensei told me something; that if I were to go to Earth, I would discover something precious."_

_ "What's that?"_

_ "I don't know, but my Sensei told me I would know it when I found it."_

"Toshio!"

"Huh?" Toshio looked inside a lounge and saw Aya, Kouga, and Fumio sitting on a table that was cluttered with cards. "Come on," Kouga said. "We need a fourth."

"Me?"

"You're the only one in hearing range." Toshio entered and took a seat across from Aya. "Good, this will only work with an even number of people. Okay, boys… and girl." Kouga nodded to Aya. "The game is tag team Black Jack. You and your partner have to get as close to 21 as possible. Two lay down limit. Obviously, whoever holds a black jack wins. Remember, grasshoppers, the key is to work with your partner." Toshio looked at Aya out of the corner of his eye. She gave him a critical look which made Toshio feel ashamed and he didn't know why.

The game started out one-sided, Kouga and Fumio owned the field. "What are you doing, you idiot?" Aya snapped.

"Give me a break, it's my first time," Toshio complained.

"I don't care, I don't need a handicap weighing me down," Aya barked again.

"I shouldn't have joined in," Toshio said getting up.

"Just one more hand," Kouga insisted. "If you lose, then you can leave. Deal?"

Toshio cast another side glance at Aya. It was clear that they both didn't want to do this. Toshio let out a defeated sigh. "Fine." He sat down again.

Fumio reshuffled and dealt the cards. With a side glance at Kouga, they each laid down two 5 cards. "Twenty," Kouga proudly declared.

Aya looked at her hand and groaned. The best she could do is 18. "I can only do 18."

Toshio looked at his hand and saw a three. "Actually, she has 21." He laid it down.

"Looks like they win this round," Fumio said.

Aya was genuinely surprised at Toshio.

"So, do you still want to check out?" Kouga asked.

Toshio was about to get up and leave when he looked at Aya again. If he left, then it would be like he didn't care what happened to her and he didn't want her to think that. He sat back down. This time, Aya was the one who dealt the hand. Looking through his hand, Toshio realized that he wouldn't have the same luck he had last turn.

"Don't worry," Aya whispered. To Kouga and Fumio, she said, "Well, looks like this round's over before it's even begun." She laid down a black jack card. "Trust is a two-way street," she told Toshio. The boy nodded.

"By George, I think they got it," Kouga whispered to Fumio. Fumio nodded.

* * *

Professor Amagai came into the control room where Captain Nagaya was waiting. "Well, Amagai?"

"He got it right," she said. "He's definitely the one."

Nagaya chuckled, "I knew it." He turned to the woman. "You've been in this boat, Konomi, what do you think?"

"I think that the reason we were kept in the dark for so long wasn't just out of tradition. If word were to get out of who he is, it would cause a big hassle not only for him but for us as well. We should keep it between us for now."

Suddenly the alarm started to ring out. Konomi left as the other members of D.A.R.E. ran in. Otome ran to the control panel. "Report coming in," she said. "On screen." An image of an elderly man came on the screen.

"Who's that?" Toshio whispered to Fumio.

"That is Minister Yamaguchi, one of the Life Defense Council," Fumio said. "The Council has unlimited authority over all branches of D.A.R.E."

"At 13:53 this afternoon, all contact with the Geological Research Team at Kiriyoshi Mountain was lost. D.A.R.E. Japan's primary goal is to ascertain the status of the research team and render humanitarian aid if needed. As secondary goal, if the team has been killed or lost, D.A.R.E. Japan shall recover any information they retrieved and ascertain the source of the problem and neutralize it." The transmission ended.

"Not one for small talk," Toshio commented.

"That's how the Life Defense Council is," Hanna said.

"All right, D.A.R.E., here's the plan," Captain Nagaya said. "Koji, Fumio, Toshio, take a S.T.A.R. Koji and Toshio, investigate the camp. Yoshi, Aya, and Kouga will fly escort and patrol. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," everyone said.

"Then move out." The five D.A.R.E. members moved towards the chute.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Hanna asked Otome who was trying to sneak over to the chute. Otome just let out a nervous laugh.

Fumio, Koji, and Toshio exited the chute through the overhead hatch of the S.T.A.R. The S.T.A.R. took off first. Soon, Yoshi, Aya, and Kouga followed into their Wingers.

"Winger 1, Honen, ready for launch."

"Winger 2, Hikari, ready for launch."

"Winger 3, Pierce, ready for launch."

The Wingers took off as well.

* * *

The D.A.R.E. vehicles quickly reached the cliff side. The Wingers spread out to start their patrols while the S.T.A.R. hovered over the Cliffside. The lower hatch opened.

"This is as far as I can get you," Fumio said. "As soon as I find a place to land, I'll join you."

"Right." As the S.T.A.R. lifted off, Koji instructed, "Try to get the machinery up and working."

"Okay." Toshio went over to the nearest machine (a sonic scanner) and laid his hands on it. He could feel the circuitry, it was still warm. The team hadn't been gone long.

Outside, Koji paced the circumference of the camp. He took out his communicator and attached the Bluetooth headset. "Field team calling D.A.R.E. Headquarters, are you receiving?"

"G.T.G.," Otome confirmed, "Coming in loud and clear."

"Toshio and I arrived at the camp, no sign of life, over."

"Understood, I'll inform the Life Defense Council…"

"Belay that."

"Huh?"

Koji saw something out of the corner of his eye, he ran over and picked it up. It was a piece of cloth lying on top of a rock. He looked up. "Could it be… Koji to Wingers, I need you do a recon on the top of the volcano. Tell me if you see anything."

"Winger 3 here, I'm on it." Kouga rose to the top of the volcano. "Oh God! Winger 3 to all D.A.R.E. units, I spotted the crew, it's… not pretty." Kouga activated his Winger's recorder and broadcasted it to D.A.R.E. Headquarters.

* * *

"Come on," Toshio said. "Tell me what happened to you." Toshio began receiving impulses like the computer was trying to communicate with him telepathically. Through the computer, Toshio saw the last glimpse into the life of one of the researchers, right before a giant claw literally crushed him.

* * *

The bodies of the research team were mashed together along with big logs and other debris on a ledge inside of the mountain to make a nest-shape container.

* * *

"It's strange," Hanna said working the control panel (Otome had to run to the bathroom after seeing the sight). "Judging by the dimensions and shape, it looks like a bird's nest."

"Bird's nest," Captain Nagaya gasped snapping shut his notebook. "Not good. All field units return to base immediately!"

* * *

"Roger," everyone said. Then a loud screech penetrated the sky around the mountain. A large avian creature rose out of the hole. Though it did look like a bird, it stood like a man. Its wings spread out across its arms and had two sacks on either side of its beak.

* * *

"Curious," Hanna said. "Though it's clearly avian, its neck shape and feet suggest a more reptilian nature."

"Birdon," Nagaya said.

"Another prehistoric monster?" Otome asked wiping her mouth with a paper towel as she came in.

"I'm afraid so. It's extremely dangerous."

"As Lieutenant Kouga is about to find out," Hanna said.

* * *

"All right," Kouga said activating the release on his laser controls. "I feel like chicken tonight."

"Kouga, do not fire on it, that's an order!" But Kouga had already fired. The lasers struck Birdon in the forehead. Birdon flapped its wings and created a huge gust of wind which sent Kouga's Winger careening out of control. The gust even broke off a bunch of rocks which buried Koji.

"Winger 1 to Winger 2, Winger 3 is down," Yoshi reported. "Attack from zenith point three-five-zero, we'll try to force it into the volcano."

"Negative, break off attack," Captain Nagaya ordered.

"But Captain."

"Think about it, Yoshiaki, Birdon came out of a volcano, do you really think forcing it back in will even slow it down, never mind stop it.."

"We have to do something," Aya said.

"We will, Aya, trust me." The two Wingers circled Birdon before ascending into the sky. The sun's glare was hard on Birdon so it wasn't prepared for the laser assault. "Aya, break off on three… three! Fumio, move in!"

The S.T.A.R. also came swooping in firing the nexus cannon. The steady stream of energy forced Birdon back into the volcano where it face planted into its nest.

"Now, Aya." The two Wingers dropped bombs. One set of bombs fell into the volcano which caused lava to shoot up. The other set hit the edge which caused boulders to fall on top of Birdon.

"They did it!" Toshio realized.

"I guess we don't need Ultraman after all," Aya said. Unknown to her, Toshio lowered his head at that comment.

Suddenly a large energy blast burst from the volcano. Boulders flew out and plowed into the underside of Aya's Winger. Aya bailed as her Winger fell right onto Birdon.

Birdon was not affected.

Toshio sighed frustrated, then looked at the machine he was working with.

He had a stroke of genius. He ran over to the still unconscious Koji and took out his communicator. "Fumio, bring the S.T.A.R. in."

"But an enemy is still in the area! I must fight it!"

"I know, I'm just going to give you a better weapon to fight it!"

"Oh, since you put it that way."

* * *

"What do you suppose Toshio has planned, Captain?" Otome asked.

Captain Nagaya smiled. "Not sure, but let's give the kid a chance. Yoshi, stall it for as long as you can."

"G.T.G."

* * *

Yoshi saw that Birdon now had him in its sights. "All right, Big Bird," he said. "Let's play follow the leader." He punched the thrusters. Birdon screeched then followed the jet. Yoshi banked to avoid the barrage of energy bursts from Birdon's beak. "Hah, too slow..." Suddenly Birdon disappeared. "What?"

"Damn, I forgot about Birdon's speed," Nagaya muttered.

"Where did it go?" Yoshi asked. "All my scanners are coming up blank!"

"Yoshi, forget your scanners," Captain Nagaya instructed. "Use visual."

"I'm looking around," Yoshi said. "But I don't…" A large shadow crossed Yoshi's left eye.

Birdon was right in front of him, almost breathing mist into the cockpit's glass.

"CRAP!" Yoshi pulled back at the same time activated the vertical thrusters. Birdon disappeared.

* * *

"It can teleport?" Otome asked.

"No," Hanna replied. "I replayed the last five seconds at one-ten thousandth speed and it can't teleport but use its wings to propel itself faster than the human eye can register."

"Do you ever get tired of being a show-off?"

"I do not get tired."

"He never told me about these abilities," Nagaya whispered. "Could it be that Birdon is… evolving?"

* * *

"And how is this supposed to help me?" Fumio asked. Toshio had set up the machine to the control panel of the S.T.A.R.

"Just fire it at the monster like you would normally do," Toshio explained.

"But what if it doesn't work? What if I can't reach it in time?"

"Trust is a two way street, right?" Toshio asked. "I trust you to carry out the plan, you can trust me to make the plan work."

Fumio sighed. "This would be a lot better if I had a Suzaku with me. Fine, I'll do it. You stay here with Koji."

"But I…" Toshio looked down at his wrist and saw that the Ultra Brace had turned blue. "Sure, Fumio-san." Toshiowalked down the ramp as Fumio shut both hatches. As soon as the S.T.A.R. was off Toshio made sure Koji was comfortable then leapt off the ledge the camp was on. Still in mid-air, he punched the Ultra Brace. His form started to expand while at the same time he felt his mind pull in to itself.

Fumio could see that Yoshi was failing in his attempt to successfully dodge Birdon's attacks. "Come on, you no good piece of…" Suddenly a shaft of light flew under the S.T.A.R. and formed into Ultraman Kinto. Kinto kicked Birdon in the head and allowed Yoshi to grab some distance.

"Thanks," Yoshi said.

Aya spied on the battle from a set of binoculars. "How is it he's always able to find us?" She wondered.

Kinto activated the Ultra Brace and started to draw energy in for a Bracium Blast. Suddenly Birdon vanished. Kinto halted his attack which caused the energy to disperse harmlessly. Kinto looked around for Birdon. Suddenly Birdon reappeared behind Kinto and slashed Ultraman with his wings. Kinto tried the Bracium Blast again. This time he was able to fire it but Birdon dodged at the last minute.

"He's just too fast even for Ultraman," Yoshi commented.

Birdon reappeared above Kinto and got ready to launch an attack. Suddenly the S.T.A.R. came zooming in. A barrage of sonic waves came from the cannon barrels. Birdon screamed and flew around and even thrashed its head against the side of the volcano.

"Hey, what do you know, looks like the kid was on to something," Fumio said. "Fire!"

As Fumio continued his assault, Kinto saw this as his chance to attack. He readied his Bracium Blast. Again, Birdon flapped his wings and both Ultraman and the S.T.A.R. went flying.

_"This is no good," _Toshio said. _"It won't even give me a chance to attack." _Suddenly Birdon rushed at Kinto. Toshio screamed inside. Instinctively Kinto held out his hand to stop Birdon. As he did, his other hand touched the Ultra Brace. A burst of energy shot out of Kinto's hand and sucker-punched Birdon. _"Did… did I do that?"_

_ "Toshio, the Ultra Brace."_

Kinto looked down at the Ultra Brace. One of the lights that encircled its rim had lit up.

_"I must've solved one of the twelve trials," _Toshio said.

_"You did, the Trial of Trust."_

_ "Great, maybe this can help me defeat the monster."_

Kinto used the new attack, the Quick Burst, and fired a barrage at Birdon. Birdon did its best to dodge but some still got through. Kinto thought he was good but then the crystal on his chest started flashing.

* * *

"That flashing thing again," Otome noted. "Captain, what does it mean?"

Nagaya sighed; he knew Otome knew he knew something about Kinto. "Basically it acts as an energy gage. It means Ultraman is running out of power."

"Power?"

Nagaya nodded; watching the screen as Birdon renewed its assault on Ultraman Kinto. "I'll explain it all later. I'd rather not repeat myself to the others."

"I understand."

* * *

Birdon flapped its wings and created another whirlwind. Both Ultraman and Yoshi were thrown back. Before Kinto could recover, Birdon was flying straight towards him. Birdon buzzed Ultraman and sent the red giant crashing. Birdon continued flying into the distance until it could no longer be seen. Ultraman Kinto just staggered to his feet and flew off into the air.

* * *

Toshio, Aya, Yoshi, and Fumio stood at the cliff's edge where the camp used to be. Kouga was checking on Koji but joined them just in time to hear "It got away," Yoshi said.

"He was one tough bastard," Kouga agreed.

"But next time we'll be ready for him," Toshio said.

"Something else has been bothering me," Aya said. "Ultraman Kinto, how does he always know where the monsters are?"

"It's not like they're trying to hide," Toshio pointed out.

"There must be some connection," Aya insisted. "I'm going to find out."

"Trust is a two-way street," Toshio said. "Ultraman Kinto trusts us to help him defeat the monsters, can't we trust him that he's here to help?"

"I'll try," Aya said. Under her breath, she added, "But it won't be easy."

* * *

Next Episode:

Toshio and Koji develop a new Winger design for use against Birdon. But Otome, in an attempt to prove her worth, crashes it. The aftershock makes Otome wonder about her own worth to the team. Can Toshio save Otome from a dangerous opponent: herself while battling Birdon and the high-screaching Pestar?

Worth


End file.
